Allows municipalities to provide free or reduced fee
beach badges to active military and NJ National Guard personnel.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Senate Military and Veterans'
Affairs Committee with technical review.

An Act
concerning access to beaches and amending P.L.1955, c.49.

Be It Enactedby the Senate and General Assembly of the
State of New Jersey:

1. Section 1 of P.L.1955,
c.49 (C.40:61-22.20) is amended to read as follows:

1. a. The governing
body of any municipality bordering on the Atlantic Ocean, tidal water bays or
rivers which owns or shall acquire, by any deed of dedication or otherwise,
lands bordering on the ocean, tidal water bays or rivers, or easement rights
therein, for a place of resort for public health and recreation and for other
public purposes shall have the exclusive control, government and care thereof
and of any boardwalk, bathing and recreational facilities, safeguards and
equipment, now or hereafter constructed or provided thereon, and may, by
ordinance, make and enforce rules and regulations for the government and
policing of such lands, boardwalk, bathing facilities, safeguards and
equipment; provided, that such power of control, government, care and policing
shall not be construed in any manner to exclude or interfere with the operation
of any State law or authority with respect to such lands, property and
facilities. Any such municipality may, in order to provide funds to improve,
maintain and police the same and to protect the same from erosion, encroachment
and damage by sea or otherwise, and to provide facilities and safeguards for
public bathing and recreation, including the employment of lifeguards, by
ordinance, make and enforce rules and regulations for the government, use,
maintenance and policing thereof and provide for the charging and collecting of
reasonable fees for the registration of persons using said lands and bathing
facilities, for access to the beach and bathing and recreational grounds so
provided and for the use of the bathing and recreational facilities, but no
such fees shall be charged or collected from children under the age of 12 years
[; and the].

b. A municipality
may by ordinance provide that no fees, or reduced fees, shall be charged to :

(1) persons 65 or
more years of age [and to];

(2) persons who meet
the disability criteria for disability benefits under Title II of the federal
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. s.401 et seq.) ;

(3) persons in active
military service in any of the Armed Forces of the United States and to their
spouse or dependent children over the age of 12 years; and

(4) persons who are
active members of the New Jersey National Guard who have completed Initial
Active Duty Training and to their spouse or dependent children over the age of
12 years. As used in this paragraph, "Initial Active Duty Training"
means Basic Military Training, for members of the New Jersey Air
National Guard, and Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, for
members of the New Jersey Army National Guard.

c. A municipality
providing for no fees or reduced fees pursuant to paragraphs (3) or (4) of
subsection b. of this section shall track, in a manner deemed appropriate by
the governing body of the municipality, the number of persons who qualify under
the provisions of those paragraphs.